Towns talk about engineer proposal for Pleasant Lake-Parker Pond dam

May 8th, 2015

By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — The selectmen of the towns of Casco and Otisfield want to make sure that the public is provided with a boatload of information about the Pleasant Lake-Parker Pond dam that is in need of repairs or replacement.

The selectmen also want to “be in the same boat” when it comes to understanding and sharing the information about the dam when the expense appears as a warrant article at town meetings.

For one, the dam is failing. While it isn’t likely to cause flooding or property damage downstream, the uncontrolled flow of water might temporarily reduce water levels on the lakes.

So, the dam must be repaired or replaced to be in compliance with Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations, and to protect the waterfront property owners and recreation-based businesses, the selectmen said.

The best approach is a two-phase project.

This year, at town meetings, the residents of the two towns will be asked to fund the official engineer’s package, which should include permitting, Computer Assisted Drawings (CAD), and hydrological studies.

The engineering job could go out to bid if the money is approved.

Then, next year, with the engineer’s proposal in hand, the towns could approve funding for replacement or repair of the dam. That construction phase would go out to bid in the summer of 2016.

As summed up by Otisfield Chairman Hal Ferguson, “This year is the money for engineering plans. Next year is the hard stuff — replacing or repairing the dam.”

However, there is a double-edged sword when it comes to allocating money for a project and putting it out to bid, according to Town Manager Dave Morton.

He said that if residents voted on a specific monetary number to cover the cost of an engineer’s proposal, then that public knowledge would jeopardize the competitive bidding process.

“We don’t want to go to town meeting with numbers. Then bidders will know that. That is where those bids are going to add up,” he said.

To counter this, the warrant article will be put forward as “a cost range,” Morton said.

A specific cost would not be known until the bids are opened, and the board awards the project, he said.

On Tuesday, the Casco and Otisfield boards of selectmen met jointly at the Casco Community Center. Otisfield resident Lew Wetzel was present as a representative from the Pleasant Lake-Parker Pond Association.

The group reviewed packets of paperwork supplied by Myron Petrovsky, the owner of MBP Consulting in Portland.

Currently, the selectmen did not have a reliable cost range.

The total cost would be divided equally between the towns. Additionally, the language in the warrant articles will be pretty much identical.

Going forward, the towns will work with MBP Consulting to get that cost range nailed down. Also, the boards directed Morton to contact Petrovsky regarding a precise cost of MBP’s services.

According to Morton, the firm owes the towns one more consultation and likely a few more should be scheduled.

For the past three-quarters of a year, a subcommittee with people from both towns and the lake association has dealt with the details of the dam.